Radial coupler mechanism



Oct. 18, 1932 w. J. REGAN RADIAL COUPLER MECHANISM Filed Dec. 26, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 18, 1932. w. J. REGAN RADIAL COUPLER MECHANISM Filed Dec. 26, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 18, 1932. w. J. REGAN RADIAL COUPLER MECHANISM Filed Dec. 26, v1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Oct. 18, 1932. w. J. REGAN RADIAL C-OUPLER MECHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Dec.

Patented Oct. 18, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT;

OFFICE WILLIAM J. REGAN, OF WILKINSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE MCCONWAY & TORLEY COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENN- SYLVAN IA RADIAL COUPLER MECHANISM Application filed December 26, 1928. Serial No. 328,599.

My invention relates to radial coupler mechanism and is primarily designed to enable a rigid car coupler having a wide shank and a comparatively large head adapted to receive the standard fittings of the D-type coupler to have an extended laterally swinging or pivotal movement while at the same time preserving the strength of the car construction and also affording ample space for the employment of means serving to center the coupler and for shifting the brake, signal and steam pipes transversely of the car so as to prevent them from being damaged by the coupler as the latter performs its swinging movements.

The invention is also designed to provide a construction in which a coupler carrier cast integral with the butter casting of a car is of such form and is so related to coupler centeringmechanism that a coupler having an enlarged butt may be employed; and the invention also provides means for controlling the lateral travel of the'brake, signal and steam'pipes of the car through the travel of a coupler carrier saddle which is actuated by the car coupler, the lateral travel of the pipes thus being capable of being varied or regulated in any degree up to the full extent of the lateral travel of the coupler saddle.

A principal feature of the invention consists in combining a laterally swinging coupler with a buffer casting formed with stops to limit the lateral travel of the coupler and integrally provided with a coupler carrier, the said carrier being associated with and forming a support for a coupler centering device which normally maintains the shank of the coupler in upwardly spaced relation to the carrier, whereby a coupler having an enlarged butt may be readily applied to or removed from the carby loweringv the coupler centering mechanism with respect to the carrier. V

A further feature of the invention consists in providing, in combination with a laterally movable car coupler, a coupler saddle slidably supported upon a coupler carrier and adapted to be shifted by the coupler, and in associating therewith means for moving the brake, signal and steam pipes laterally, the

said means being slidably supported upon the coupler carrier and being adapted to be actuated by the saddle, and the latter being adapted to be lowered with respect to said means and the carrier so as to permit the application and removal of the car coupler to be effected without disturbing the coupler carrier or the means 7 by which the pipes are shifted laterally. 1

Other features of the invention relating to advantageous structural details and particu lar combinations of parts will hereinafter appear and be pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings illustrating preferred forms of the invention:

Figure 1 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in vertical section of a construotion embodied in the invention. t

Figure 2 is a viewof the construction partly in front elevation and partly in section on the line 22,'Figure 1, the head of the car coupler being omitted.

Figure 3 is a sectional view on the line 33', Figure 2.

. Figure 4 is a detail sectional view on the line 4- 4, Figure 2.

'Figure 5 is a detail sectional view on the line 5 5, Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a sectional view on the line 66, Figure 3.

Figure 7 is a rear elevational view of th portion of the mechanism shown in Figure 6, a part of the pipe carrier being broken away to disclose the centering springs thereof.

Figure 8 is a horizontal section on the line 8-8, Figure 6.

Figure 9 is a horizontal sectional view of the buffer casting taken on the line 9-9, Figure 2.

Figure '10 is a detail view corresponding to Figure 8, but illustrating a modified form of the invention wherein the fixed abutments for the springs of the pipe shifting device are formed integral with the coupler carrier. 7

Figure 11 is a detail plan view of a modified form of the invention wherein the device. for shifting the brake, signal and steam pipesis provided with upwardly extending lugs or walls which-overlap the sides of the coupler shank and thus enable the latter to actuate the pipe shifting device.

Inthe drawings, the center sills of the car are indicated at 1. They may be of the type common to many passenger cars and comprise overlapping vertical plates 2 and 3 to the lower edges of which a stiffening angle-iron 4 is riveted. The draft yoke 5, which is movable longitudinally in the space between the 7 center sills, may be of any desired or wellknown form suitable for receiving a draft gear cushion unit. At its forward end the draft yoke 5 is pivotally connectedto the rear end of the laterally swinging coupler 6 by a tail pin 7, the latter 'being preferably of the downwardly removable type and being maintained in assembled position by a headed pin 8 which passes through suitable openings in the lower pivot boss of the yoke.

Secured to the center sills by means of rivets 9 is a car body casting which preferably is in the form of a buffer casting 10 constituting a guide and support for the bufler devices with which passenger cars are usually equipped. The forward portion of the buffer casting is centrally provided with an upwardly extending coupler receiving recess 11 providing laterally spaced stops or shoulders 12 which overlap the sides of the coupler shank 13 and preferably converge rearwardly toward the pivotal point of the coupler. Formed integral with the buffer casting is a coupler carrier 14 having a horizontally extending'lower portion 15 and vertically. extending sides 16. The lower portion 15 of the coupler carrier is spacedido wnwardly from the top wall of the-coupler receiving-recess llof the buffer casting a sulficient distance to permit the passage of the enlarged butt 1-7 ofthe coupler, while the vertically extending sides 16 of the carrier are spaced laterally to provide ample clearance for permitting the desired lateral shifting of the steam pipe- 18- and the brake and signal pipes 19 and 20 respectively, together with the devices by which they. are actuated.

The coupler carrier may be advantageously formed as a pair of longitudinally spaced vertical flanges 21 and 22. respectively, the

portions thereof which form the sides of the carrier being integrally connected and rigidified by webs 23 forming inner faces of thecarrier, and the portions of said flanges which form the lower part of the carrier being stayed against spreading or separation by tie members 24, said tie members being disposed toward the outer ends of the coupler carrier so as to leave between them a space through which the coupler centering mechanism may be inserted and removed. The central portion of the vertical walls or flanges 21 and 22 which form the lower horizontal portion of the coupler carrier 14 are spaced longitudinally of the car to permit the couplersaddle and centering mechanism to be inserted between them from below, the saddle and centering mechanism being supported in assembled position by a removable bottom plate 25 with which the carrier is provided. This removable bottom plate may be conveniently formed with sleeves or hollow columns 26 for receiving securing bolts 27 that extend through the adjacent vertical walls 21 and. 22 respectively of the carrier. 7

The laterally movable coupler saddle 28 is slidably supported on the upper surface of the removable bottom plate 25 of the carrier. It is of the general form of a rectangular frame which embraces a transversely extending coupler centering spring 29 and its cooperating followers 30. In order that it may be shifted laterally when the coupler swings from side to side, the coupler saddle is formed on its upper side with lugs or arms 31 which stand closely adjacent opposite sides of the coupler shank 13. These upward ly projecting arms or flanges preferablydiverge rearwardly so as to provide for the angular positionsthe coupler may assume in service while at the same time permitting their forward portions to remain in close proximity to the coupler shank. To support them against shocks imparted to them by the coupler, the flanges 31 are preferably braced at their opposite ends'by outwardly extending vertical flanges or gussets 32 and 33 respectively. To protect the coupler saddle 28 from wear due to the movement of the coupler with respect theretoa wear shoe 34 is interposed'between the shank of the coupler and'the upper side of that portion of the coupler saddle which lies between the coupler engaging arms or flanges 31. The wear shoe may advantageously be made from a commercial' rolled channel in order that a new one may be easily made from material commonly carried in stock whenever a replacement becomes necessary.

The upper wall 35 of the coupler saddle 28 upon which the wear shoe 34 rests is preferably ribbed on its under surface in order to form a strong and rigid support for the coupler; and it is connected to the lower wall 36 of the saddle at a'point immediately below the coupler shank by a vertical wall 37. During sliding movements of the coupler saddle the rear edge of its lower wall cooperates with the inner vertical wall 21 of the coupler carrier 14, while the forward edge of the lower wall cooperates with upstanding guide lugs or flanges 38 with which the bottom plate 25 of the coupler carrier is provided. By this means and by the cooperation of the wear shoe 34 with the inner faces of the horizontally spaced vertical walls 21 and 22 of the zontally extending portion of the forward vertical wall of the flange 22 of the carrier is offset outwardly to form shoulders 39, while the rear wall 21 of the corresponding portion of the carrier is provided with forwardly projecting stop lugs 40 which are in longitudinal alinement with the respective shoulders 39 and are spaced therefrom so as to permit the vertically extending end-portions 41 of the coupler saddle to reciprocate between them. The lower ends of the follower stops 40 terminate above the bottom Wall 36 of the coupler saddle, thus permitting the rear edge of said wall to have an extended contact with the rear wall 21 of the coupler carrierso as to efliciently guide the saddle during its transverse movements. The lower wall of the coupler saddle, by extending un der the stops 40, also serves to prevent the coupler saddle from-moving upwardly beyond its normal position.

When the coupler saddle 28 is displaced laterally in response to a swinging movement of the coupler upon its pivotal point one of the end portions 41 of the coupler saddle, depending upon the direction in which the saddle moves-laterally, displaces the adjacent follower 30 from its seat upon the neighboring follower stops 39 and 40, the follower being thereby moved toward the follower 30 which is at the opposite end of the coupler centering spring 29. As this latter follower remains seated'upon its stops -39 and 40 during the movement of the companion follower the transversely extending spring 29 is compressed an amount corresponding to the extent to which the coupler saddle has been shifted laterally by the coupler. lVhen the force causing the displacement of the coupler from its normal'posit-ion in the longitudinal axis of the car ceases to act the ensuing expansion of the spring 29 returns the coupler saddle 28 tofnormal position and thereby centralizes the coupler.

In order to afford clearance enabling the car coupler to swing laterally to either side of its normal central position, both in draft and in buffing, means are provided for laterally shifting the steam heating pipe 18 and the air brake pipe 19 and signal pipe 20. The steam pipe 18 is preferably directly connected to the coupler saddle 28 so as to have equal lateral displacement therewith, thus provid ing working clearance between the steam heat end valve 42 and the coupler head when the coupler performs a bufiing operation while in an extreme lateral position toward the left side of the car. To permit the steam pipe thus to move it is so located vertically thatit, together with the devices bywhich it is attached to the coupler saddle, are below the vertically overlying portions of the buffer casting 10. The steam pipe may advantageously be secured to the coupler saddle by means of a pipe holder or bracket 43' which overliesand is bolted to a horizontally extending slotted flange 44 with which the coupler saddle 28 is provided on its upper side. The pipe holding bracket 43 preferably completely encircles the steam pipe 18 and has upon its under side a tapering lug 45 fitting into a correspondingly formed upwardly opening recess 46 of the coupler saddle. To

prevent the end valve 42 from turning upon the steam pipe 18 upon which it is mounted the pipe holder 43 may, if desired, be formed at its lower end with a forwardly projecting horizontal flange or lug 47 which extends beneath and contacts with the hexagonal portion of the valve body.

The lateral travel of the air brake pipe 19 and the signal pipe 20 is effected by the lateral movement of the coupler saddle 28 and in saddle, the pipe carrier being provided on opposite sides of the coupler shank with forwardly extending lugs or projections 49 which are in transverse alinement with upwardly projecting lugs formed on the upper surface of the coupler saddle 28, the shifting lug 50 which is at the right side of the coupler being in contact with the neighboring lug 49 of the pipe carrier'when the coupler is in central position and the lug 50 which is to the left of the coupler being spaced from the adjacent lug 49 when the coupler is positioned in the longitudinal axis of the car. By thismeans'the movement of the coupler saddle to the right is immediately communicated to the pipe carrier 48 for the brake and signal pipes, while movement of the saddle inthe opposite direction from normal posibring it into contact with the neighboring forwardly projecting lug 49 of the carrier. It will be appreciated that by suitably s'pac ing the shifting'lugs 50 of the saddle and the. cooperating projections 49, the lateral travel of the pipe carrier 48 and of the brake and signal pipes attached thereto .may be varied in amount as desired up to the full extent'of. lateral displacement of the coupler saddle in either direction. i

For slidabl'y supporting the pipeholder or carrier 48 the coupler saddle 28 is preferably provided on its upperside at one end with a horizontal'shelf 51 and the coupler carrier 14 is formed with a rearwardly projecting horizontal flange or a shelfv52 which extends under the shank of the coupler and projects -transversely on opposite sides of the latter walls .54 and being adapted to rest and slide upon-the horizontal shelf 52 of the coupler carrier14. The pipe carrier 48 is also preferably formed with a horizontal plate or web 56 which integrally unites the rear wall 54 and end walls 55 of said carrier. The walls 54, 55 and 56 of the pipe carrier, to gether with the horizontal shelf 52 and the rear vertical wall 57 of the coupler carrier form a housing for two transversely extending springs 58 and 59 respectively which serve to return the pipe support or carrier 48 to its normal position as soon as the coupler saddle 28 I will permit. These springs also act to retain the pipe carrier for the air brake and signal pipes in normal position until it is moved by the coupler saddle, thus preventing the pipe support from floating or moving ahead of the coupler saddle. The inner ends of the springs 58 and 59 are seated against a fixed abutment which mayeconveniently be formed as a vertical lug 60 which is cast integralwith the shelf 52 and the rear vertical wall of the coupler carrier. The outer ends of the springs are respectively seated on the vertical end walls 55 of the pipe carrier 48. As a result of this construction one or the other of the springs is compressed between the pipe carrier and the abutment lug 60 of the coupler carrier whenever the pipe carrier is shifted laterally by the coupler saddle. The subsequent expansion of the spring that has thus been compressed returns the pipe carrier to normal position. The pipe support or carrier 48 and the springs 58 and 59 are retained in place by a bolt 61 which passesthrough the end walls 55 of the pipe support and through the springs 58 and 59 and the vertical abutment lug '60 of the coupler carrier. As the pipe carrier 48 is designed to move a greater distance to the right than to the left the spring 58 preferably is of greater length than the spring 59 and the fixed abutment lug 60 of the coupler carrier is preferably positioned somewhat to the right of the longitudinal axis of the car. The

air brake pipe 19 and the signal pipe 20 may 1 be conveniently secured to their slidable support 48 by means of a suitable cap member 62 and a bolt 63. V

The removable bottom plate 25 of the coupler carrier may advantageously be provided with means for supporting the uncoupling device by which the locking mechanism of the car coupler is actuated, as the assembly and disassembly of the mechanism is thereby facilitated. To this end the bottom plate 25 may be centrally provided on its underside with a bracket formed as downwardly extending laterally spaced jaws 64 which are apertured for the passage of a bolt or pin 65 forming a support for a slidable and vertically rotatable lifting rod 66 which is connected to the lock operating mechanism of the car coupler. To enable the forward end jaws 64 are connected at their upper rear portions by a transverse wall 67 whose lower end forms a pivot for the lifting rod. On

opposite sides of the jaws 64 the bottom plate 25 of the coupler carrier is provided with pairs of spaced lugs 68 which are perforated to receive pins 69 upon' which depending links 70 are journalled. A bail 71 which is floatingly supported by the links 70 and is adapted to be actuated by transversely extending uncoupling rods or levers 72 in a well-known manner cooperates with the vertically swinging lifting rod 66 to cause the latter to perform an uncoupling rotation;

abutment lugs 74 which are cast integral with the coupler-carrier 75, a lug 76 cast integral with the pipe carrier 73 and interposed between the adjacent ends of the springs '58 and 59 serving to compress one or the other of said springs when the pipe carrier is shifted laterally by the coupler saddle. In other respects the modified form '1 of construction illustrated in Figure 10 is the same as that illustrated in'the principal figures of the drawings and heretofore described.

If it is desired to effect lateral shifting of the carrier for the brake and signal pipes directly from the car coupler instead of throughthe intermediacy of the slidable coupler saddle, this may be accomplished, as shown in Figure 11, by providing the pipe carrier 77 with vertically extending lugs or flanges 78 which overlap opposite sides of the coupler shank 13,. the projections 78 being positioned with respect to the sides of the coupler shank so as to cause the latter to impart to the pipe carrier 77 the desired range of lateral movements. When such a construction is employed the carrier shifting lugs 50 of the slidable coupler saddle are omitted and the cooperating forwardly ex- .of the lifting rod to rotate upwardly, the

tending arms 49 of the pipe carrier are unnecessary. Except for these differences the construction shown in Figure 11 is the same as that shown in Figures 1 to 9 inclusive of the drawings and heretofore described and accordingly similar parts have been"indicated by corresponding reference numerals. When the coupler 6 is to be removed from the car it is only necessary to disconnect the steam pipe holder or bracket 43 from the coupler saddle 28 and to remove the bolts 27 which secure the bottom plate 25 of the coupler carrier in place. Upon this being done the saddle 28 and the coupler centering mechanism associated therewith may be lowered or removed downwardly from between the lower vertical walls 21- and 22 of the coupler carrier 14, thus permitting the enlarged butt 17 of the coupler to be withdrawn through the space between the lower part of the coupler carrier and the overlying central portion of the bufi'er casting 10.

I claim: 7

1. The combination with a laterally swinging car coupler having a shank formed with an enlarged butt, of a casting located atthe end of the car and forming a rigidly attached part of the car body, said casting having integrally united thereto a coupler carrier extending under the coupler, the portion of said carrier which is below the shank of the coupler being spaced vertically from the central portion of said casting which overlies the coupler a distance permitting the passage of said enlarged butt, a transversely slidable coupler saddle adapted to be'engaged and actuated by the coupler, yielding means for normally centering the coupler saddle, and a removable bottom plate for the coupler carrier slidably supporting the saddle, said bottom plate and said saddle serving normally to maintainthe coupler in vertically spaced relation to the portion of said carrier underlying said shank.

2. The combination with a laterally swinging car coupler, a coupler carrier having sides integrally connected by a portion extending under the coupler, a downwardly removable coupler saddle mounted on the coupler carrier so as to slide laterally with respect thereto and movable with respect to said carrier vertically downward from assembled position, yielding means for centering the saddle,

and a laterally movable pipe carrier adapted V to be actuated by said saddle, said pipe carrier and said saddle being relatively movable transversely of the car. 7 I

3.. The combination with a laterally swinging car coupler, ofa coupler carrier extending thereunder, a coupler saddle adapted to be shifted laterally by thevcoupler, yielding means for centering the coupler. saddle, a laterally movable pipe carrier adapted to be engaged and actuated by the saddle, said pipe carrier and saddle being-relatively movable transversely of the car upon which they pipe carrier and for returning it to central position, said spring means being operatively interposed between the coupler carrier and the pipe carrier, and said carriers having portions which together constitute a housing for said spring means.

5. The combination with a laterally swinging car coupler, of a coupler carrier extending thereunder, a coupler saddle movable laterally with respect-to said coupler carrier, a pipe carrier movable with respect to said saddle and adapted to be shifted laterally upon a swinging movement of said coupler, and spring means operatively interposed between said carriers and constantly acting on said pipe carrier for normally maintaining the pipe carrier in aposition corresponding to the central position of the coupler, each of said carriers being provided with spring abutment means for cooperating with said spring means. 7

6., The combination with a laterally swinging car coupler, of a coupler carrier extending thereunder, a pipe carrier movable transversely ofthe car with respect to the coupler carrier, a spring compressible between said pipe carrier and the coupler carrier, a coupler saddle adapted to be actuated by the coupler, said saddle being adapted to shift the pipe carrier transversely of the car to thereby compress said spring, equal lateral displacements of the saddle transversely of the car-in opposite directions being adapted to effect unequal lateral displacements of the pipe carrier.

7. The combination with a. laterally swinging car coupler, of a coupler carrier rigidly attached to the car body and extending under the coupler, a pipe carrier slidable with respect to the coupler carrier laterally of the car, means engageable by the coupler for actuating the pipe carrier, and spring means operatively interposed between the .coupler carrier and the pipe carrier for normally centering the latter, said coupler carrier being provided with a shelf extending under said spring means, and the pipe carrier being slidably supported by said shelf, one of said carriers being formed with an abutment for cooperating with said spring means and the other of said carriers being formed with a plurality of abutments for cooperating with said spring means.

- 8-. The combination" with a laterally swinging car coupler having'a shank formed with an enlarged butt, of a casting located at the end of the car and forming a rigidly attaohed part of the car body, said casting havand said saddle serving normally to maintain the coupler in vertically spaced relation to the portion of said carrier underlying said shank, yielding means interposed between the coupler carrier and the saddle for normally centering thelatter, a laterally movable pipe oarrier adapted to be actuated by the saddle, and spring means operatively interposed between the coupled carrier and the pipe carrier for normally maintaining the latter-in a position corresponding to the central position of said coupler, said coupler carrier being provided with a projecting shelf extending under said spring means, and said pipe carrier being provided with transversely spaced vertical walls for cooperating with said spring means. 7

9. The combination with a laterally swinging car coupler having a shank formed with an enlarged butt,'of a casting located at the end of the car and forming a rigidly attached part of the car body, said casting having integrally united thereto a coupler carrier extending under the coupler, the portion of said carrier which is below the shank of the coupler being spaced vertically from the portion of said casting which overlies the coupler a distance permitting said enlarged butt to pass, a coupler saddle movable laterally by the coupler, means supporting the saddle for normally 'maintaining the coupler shank in vertically spaced relation to the underlying portionof said coupler carrier, a pipe carrier slidable with respect to the said saddle and adapted to be actuated by the latter, a plurality of springs interposed between the pipe carrier and the coupler carrier and constituting means for normally maintaining the pipe carrier in a position corresponding tothe central position of the coupler, said coupler carrier having a spring abutment portion extending between and cooperating with said springs, said pipe carrier having spaced walls for respectively cooperating with said springs and between which the latter are interposed, and said saddle being downwardly removableindependently of said pipe carrier.

10. railway car end casting provided with flanges whereby it maybe rigidly at tached to the center sills of a car and formed integrally with transversely spaced stops adapted to limit lateral movements of a swinging car coupler and integrally provided with a coupler carrier having vertically extending portions between which said stops are located and also having a transversely extending portion integrally united to .said vertically extending portions andadapted to extend under the shank of a car coupler, the under surface of the portion of said casting which is between said stops being adapted to overlie the shank of a car coupler, and said portion which extends under the shank of the coupler being provided with an opening extending vertically therethrough, said opening being adapted to receive downwardly removable means for supporting the car coupler.

V 11. The combination with a car coupler having a shank formed with an enlarged butt, of a casting located at the end of the car and forming a rigidly attached part ofthe car body, said casting having integrally united thereto a coupler carrier provided with spaced sides united by a portion extending under the shank of the coupler, said carrier being provided between said sides and in spaced relation thereto with laterally spaced shoulders forming a recess for receiving the shank of the coupler, and the portion of said carrier which extends under the shank of the coupler being formed with longitudinally spaced walls providing a vertical opening therebetween and being spaced vertically downward from the central portion of said casting which overlies, the coupler and is between said shoulders a distance enabling said enlarged butt of the coupler to be inserted and withdrawn, and means mounted on said carrier and downwardly removable between the said longitudinally spaced walls thereof for normally maintaining the coupler in vertically spaced relation to the portion of said carrier underlying said shank.

12. The combination with a laterall swinging car coupler having a shank formed with an enlarged butt, of a casting located at the end of the car and forming a rigidly attached part of the car body, said casting being provided on opposite sides of the longitudinal center of the car with stops for limiting lateral swinging movement of the coupler and being provided with a coupler carrier which is integrallyattached to said casting at points spaced laterally. outward from said stops, said carrier being provided with a portion extending below said shank and spaced vertically from the portion of said casting which is between said stops a distance enabling the passage of said enlarging butt, the said portion of the carrier which extends below the shank of the coupler being formed with longitudinally spaced walls providing a vertical opening therebetween, and means iao 

